Synonyms
Spelter (nonscientific)
Definition
Physicochemical characteristics
Zinc (Zn) is the 23rd most abundant element in the Earth’s crust, and exists as a blue-whitish metal relatively weak with a melting point of 419.5°C and a boiling point of 907°C, with a density of 7.133 g/cm3 (Henkin, 1984). Zn consists of a mixture of the five stable isotopes 64Zn (48.6%, atomic mass 63.9), 66Zn (27.9%, atomic mass 65.9), 67Zn (4.1%, atomic mass 66.9), 68Zn (18.8%, atomic mass 67.9), and 70Zn (0.6%, atomic mass 69.9) (Coplen et al., 2002). Moreover, six synthetic radioactive isotopes are known: 62Zn, 63Zn, 65Zn, 69Zn, 72Zn, and 73Zn. The atomic number is 30. Zinc metal is highly reactive and produces various different salts, but it is only stable in water as the Zn2+ ion and associated complexes and minerals. Its sulfates and chlorides are water-soluble and its sulfides, oxides, carbonates, phosphates, silicates, as well as organic complexes are water-insoluble (Henkin, 1984). Zinc, like many...
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Bibliography
Bastin, E. S., 1926. A hypothesis of bacterial influence in the genesis of certain sulphide deposits. Journal of Geology, 34, 773–792.
Bechtel, A., Pervaz, M., and Puttmann, W., 1998. Role of organic matter and sulphate-reducing bacteria for metal sulphide precipitation in the Bahloul Formation at the Bou Grine Zn/Pb deposit (Tunisia). Chemical Geology, 144, 1–21.
Bechtel, A., Savin, S. M., and Hoernes, S., 1999. Oxygen and hydrogen isotopic composition of clay minerals of the Bahloul Formation in the region of the Bou Grine zinc–lead ore deposit (Tunisia): evidence for fluid–rock interaction in the vicinity of salt dome cap rock. Chemical Geology, 156, 191–207.
Blencowe, D. K., and Morby, A. P., 2003. Zn(II) metabolism in prokaryotes. FEMS Microbiology Reviews, 27, 291–311.
Cohen, D., 2007. Earth’s natural wealth: an audit. New Scientist, May 23, 2007, 34–41.
Coplen, T. B., Böhlke, J. K., De Bièvre, P., Ding, T., Holden, N. E., Hopple, J. A., Krouse, H. R., Lamberty, A., Peiser, H. S., Révész, K., Rieder, S. E., Rosman, K. J. R., Roth, E., Taylor, P. D. P., Vocke, R. D., and Xiao, Y. K., 2002. Isotope-abundance variations of selected elements (IUPAC Technical Report). Pure and Applied Chemistry, 74, 1987–2017.
Druschel, G. K., Labrenz, M., Thomsen-Ebert, T., Fowle, D. A., and Banfield, J. F., 2002. Biogenic precipitation of monomineralic nanocrystalline sulfides: implications of observed and modeled processes to ore deposition. Economic Geology, 97, 1319–1329.
Druschel, G. K., Baker, B. J., Gihring, T. H., and Banfield, J. F., 2004. Acid mine drainage biogeochemistry at Iron Mountain, California. Geochemical Transactions, 5, 13–32.
Goldhaber, M. B., and Orr, W. L., 1995. Kinetic controls on the thermochemical sulfate reduction as a source of sedimentary H2S. In Vairavamurthy, M. A., and Schoonen, M. A. A. (eds.), Geochemical Transformations of Sedimentary Sulfur. ACS Symposium Series 612. Washington, DC: American Chemical Society, pp. 412–425.
Hanbo, Z., Changqun, D., Qiyong, S., Weimin, R., Tao, S., Lizhong, C., Zhiwei, Z., and Bin, H., 2004. Genetic and physiological diversity of phylogenetically and geographically distinct groups of Arthrobacter isolated from lead–zinc mine tailings. FEMS Microbiology Ecology, 49, 333–341.
Henkin, R. J., 1984. Zink. In Merian, E. (ed.), in Gemeinschaft mit Geldmacher-v. Mallinckrodt, Machata, G., Nürnberg, H. W., Schlipköter, H. W., Stumm, W., Metalle in der Umwelt: Verteilung, Analytik, und biologische Relevanz. Weinheim: Verlag Chemie, pp. 597–629.
Hu, M. A., Disnar, J. R., Barbanson, L., and Suarez-Ruiz, I., 1998. Processus d’altération thermique, physico-chimique et biologique de constituants organiques et genèse d’une minéralisation sulfurée: le gîte Zn–Pb de La Florida (Cantabria, Espagne). Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, 35, 936–950.
Jönsson, J., Jönsson, J., and Lövgren, L., 2006. Precipitation of secondary Fe(III) minerals from acid mine drainage. Applied Geochemistry, 21, 437–445.
Kaiser-Rohrmeier, M., Handler, R., Quadt, v. A., and Heinrich, C., 2004. Hydrothermal Pb–Zn ore formation in the Central Rhodopian Dome, south Bulgaria: review and new time constraints from Ar–Ar geochronology. Schweizerische Mineralogische und Petrographische Mitteilungen, 84, 37–58.
Kotrba, P., and Ruml, T., 2000. Bioremediation of heavy metal pollution exploiting constituents, metabolites and metabolic pathways of livings. A review. Collection of Czechoslovak Chemical Communications, 65, 1205–1247.
Labrenz, M., and Banfield, J. F., 2004. Sulfate-reducing bacteria dominated biofilms that precipitate ZnS in a subsurface circum-neutral pH mine drainage system. Microbial Ecology, 47, 205–217.
Labrenz, M., Druschel, G. K., Thomsen-Ebert, T., Gilbert, B., Welch, S. A., Kemner, K. M., Logan, G. A., Summons, R. E., De Stasio, G., Bond, P. L., Lai, B., Kelly, S. D., and Banfield, J. F., 2000. Sphalerite (ZnS) deposits forming in natural biofilms of sulfate-reducing bacteria. Science, 290, 1744–1747.
Ledin, M., and Pedersen, K., 1996. The environmental impact of mine wastes—roles of microorganisms and their significance in treatment of mine wastes. Earth-Science Review, 41, 67–108.
Luther, G. W., Theberge, S. M., and Rickard, D. T., 1999. Evidence for aqueous clusters as intermediates during zinc-sulfide formation. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 63, 3159−3169.
Mertens, J., Springael, D., De Troyer, I., Cheyns, K., Wattiau, P., and Smolders, E., 2006. Long-term exposure to elevated zinc concentrations induced structural changes and zinc tolerance of the nitrifying community in soil. Environmental Microbiology, 8, 2170–2178.
Moreau, J. W., Webb, R. I., and Banfield, J. F., 2004. Ultrastructure, aggregation-state, and crystal growth of biogenic nanocrystalline sphalerite and wurtzite. American Mineralogist, 89, 950–960.
Moreau, J. W., Weber, P. K., Martin, M. C., Gilbert, B., Hutcheon, I. D., and Banfield, J. F., 2007. Extracellular proteins limit the dispersal of biogenic nanoparticles. Science, 316, 1600.
Nordstrom, D. K., 2000. Advances in the hydrogeochemistry and microbiology of acid mine waters. International Geology Review, 42, 499–515.
Ohmoto, H., and Goldhaber, M. B., 1997. Sulfur and carbon isotopes. In Barnes, H. L. (ed.), Geochemistry of Hydrothermal Ore Deposits, 3rd edn. New York: Wiley, pp. 517–611.
Rimstidt, J. D., Cermak, J. A., and Gagen, P. M., 1994. Rates of reaction of galena, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, and arsenopyrite with Fe(III) in acidic solutions. In Alpers, C. N., and Blowes, D. W. (eds.), Environmental Geochemistry of Sulfide Oxidation. ACS Symposium Series 550. Washington DC: American Chemical Society, pp. 2–13.
Rozan, T. F., Lassman, M. E., Ridge, D. P., and Luther, G. W., 2000. Evidence for iron, copper, and zinc complexation as multinuclear sulphide clusters in oxic rivers. Nature, 406, 879–882.
Sani, R. K., Peyton, B. M., and Brown, L. T., 2001. Copper-induced inhibition of growth of Desulfovibrio desulfuricans G20: assessment of its toxicity and correlation with those of zinc and lead. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 67, 4765–4772.
Siebenthal, C. E., 1915. Origin of the lead and zinc deposits of the Joplin region. Â U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin, 606, 283.
Smolders, E., Buekers, J., Oliver, I., and McLaughlin, M. J., 2004. Soil properties affecting microbial toxicity of zinc in laboratory-spiked and field-contaminated soils. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 23, 2633–2640.
Spangenberg, J. E., and Herlec, U., 2006. Hydrocarbon biomarkers in the Topla-Mezica zinc–lead deposits, northern Karavanke/Drau Range, Slovenia: paleoenvironment at the site of ore formation. Economic Geology, 101, 997–1021.
Tarkian, M., and Breskovska, V., 1989. Greenockite from the Madjarovo Pb–Zn ore district, Eastern Rhodope, Bulgaria. Mineralogy and Petrology, 40, 137–144.
Thom, J., and Anderson, G. M., 2008. The role of thermochemical sulphate reduction in the origin of Mississippi Valley-type deposits. I. Experimental results. Geofluids, 8, 16–26.
Trudinger, P. A., Lambert, I. B., and Skyring, G. W., 1972. Biogenic sulfide ores: a feasibility study. Economic Geology, 67, 1114–1127.
USGS (United States Geological Survey), 2008. Zinc statistics and information. Available from: http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/zinc/.
White, C., Sharman, A. K., and Gadd, G. M., 1998. An integrated microbial process for the bioremediation of soil contaminated with toxic metals. Nature Biotechnology, 16, 572–575.
Zhang, H., Huang, F., Gilbert, B., and Banfield, J. F., 2003. Molecular dynamics simulations, thermodynamic analysis and experimental study of phase stability of zinc sulphide nanoparticles. Journal of Physical Chemistry B, 107, 13051−13060.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2011 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.
About this entry
Cite this entry
Labrenz, M., Druschel, G.K. (2011). ZINC. In: Reitner, J., Thiel, V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Geobiology. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-9212-1_214
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-9212-1_214
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-1-4020-9211-4
Online ISBN: 978-1-4020-9212-1
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Earth and Environmental Sciences